Car-coupling.



No. 708,747. Paten'u.=,d Sept. 9, |902.

G. WESTINGHUSE.

CAR CUPLING (Application led Mar. 25, 1901.)

6 SheetsfSh'eet l.

(No Model.)

lllll WITNESSES z No. 708,747. Patented-sept. 9, |902.

G. wEsTlNGHousE. A .CAR COUFLlN-G.

(Application med Mar. 25. 1901.) (No Modei.)

6 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES mvENToR,

m l /M/f. QW/w No. 703,747.- l Patented sept. 9, |902.

G. wEsTmGHousE:

CAR CUUPLING (Appxicae'i'on filed mar. 25.1901.)

6 l Sheets--Sheet QNo Model.)

emga,

WI'I'N ESSES No. 708,747. Patented sept.l 9, 1902.

G. wEsTmGHousE.

CAB CDUPLING.

{Application filed Mar. 25, 1901.)

@No Model.) Y 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

wrmesse's; Mmvsmom f Patented sept. 9.1902."

a, wEsTmGHous.

cm1 couPLmG. Applieacion 4med 25, 1901.)

(un Modell) mveli'fon,

WITNESS. t

Patented Sept. 9, 1902.

G. wEsTmGHousEr. CAR COUPLING (Applition tiled Mar. 25, 1901.)

6 Shets-Sheet 6.

tNo Model.)

v@NVENTQIL WITNESSES f NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

GEORGE "'WESTIN GHOUSE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

oAR-ooUPLiNe.

SPECFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent 708,747, dated September 9,1902.

Application and Mmii 25,1901. serial No. 52,669. (No moda.) l

To all whom it' 11i/ry concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WESTING- HOUSE, of Pittsburg, in the countyof Allegheny vand State of Pennsylvania, have ihvented acertain new anduseful Improvement in Car-Couplings, of which improvement the' followingis a specification. Y

My present invention relates to couplings for the connection ofrailroad-vehicles; and its object is to provide an appliance forautomatically coupling railroad-vehicles for the purpose of draft, withwhich there may be combined'means for coincidently and Aautomaticallycoupling lines 'of fiuid -pressure pipes for the operation of brake andsteamheating apparatus, &c.,`or for coupling electric conductors for theconveyance of electricity for light, power, and'. braking purposes andfor signaling, or both of such means.

To this end myinvention, generally stated, consists in certain noveldevices and combinations comprehending'a coupler-head pivotallyconnectedwith a car-frame and adapted by movement about a pivot to beautomatically engaged with a counterpart on another vehicle, a lock forretaining said coupler-head in engagement with its counterpart, one ormore Huid-pressure conduits in the. head, each having ,a properly-packedend adapted to make a Huid-tight joint with that of a conduit in acounterpart head when the two heads are coupled, a cock for controllingsaid conduit or conduits, means operable without going between and belowcars' for operating the cock and releasing the lock, and one or moreelectric conductors in the head, each having a terminal adapted to makecontact with the terminal of an electric conductor in a counterpart headwhen the two heads are coupled. y

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

Under an act of Congress the railroads of the United States have beenrequired to equip their trains with automatic car-couplers of suchconstruction that the operations of coupling and uncoupling can beperformedby employees withoutlgoing between and below the cars for thispurpose. The same act provides that cars for freight traffic shall alsobe equipped with automatic poWer-brakes'capable of being operated fromthe locomotive upon all the cars of the train. The system of brakeswhich is in practically universal use and which is known as thequick-action aui tomatic air-brake ordinarily involves the use ofmanually-operated couplings to make the connection of the trainpipesfrom car to car and also requires a stop-cock under each end of eachcar, which must be closed before disconnecting the ai r-brake couplingand opened after connecting it. The same conditions ohtain with thelines of pipe used for signaling and for steam-heating.

The couplings used in standard practice are known as the vertical-planetype, and their engaging members or knuckles are held in connection by alook which can be operated by a transverse bar actuated from the side ofthe car; but with a large majority of those now in use the knuckle isfrequently Irequired to be operated by hand, which to agreater or lessext-ent involves risk to the trainmen. Wit-h respect to the automaticbrakes, however, the systems now in use absolutely necessitate thepresence of an' employee between aud beneath the cars for the purpose,

of lmanipulating the two stop-cocksv and of coupling and uncoupling thesections of hose, so that' the risk to employees is for this reason evengreater than it was before `the pasy l sage of the act above referredto. f

Q My invention' enablesy the legal requirements to be fully compliedwith under the employment of an appliance which satisfactorily meets theconditions of practical railroad service and which, further, attains thesubstantially beneficial and advantageous results of wholly eliminatingthe dangerous risks to which trainmen have been and are necessarilysubjected in the use of the devices heretofore employed in coupling carsand pipe-lines thereon and of effecting a considerable saving of time inthe operations of coupling and uncoupling.` Y

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of acar-coupling, illustrating an embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2, a planor top view of the same; Fig, 3, a horizontal section through the samevand a connected coupling on the line a a of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a verticalsection on the line bh of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a plan View of the endportions of two vcars coupled by my invention, with the Ico couplings inhorizontal section on the line c c of Fig. 6; Fig. 5, a horizontalsection through a cock-casing, showing a pipe connection; Fig. 6, a sideview, on an enlarged scale, of a coupling, partly in section, on theline e c of Fig. 8; Fig. 7', an inner end view, on the same scale, of acoupler-head, partly in section, on the line ffof Fig. 1; Fig. 8, avertical section through the cock-casing and a portion of thecoupler-head on the line d d of Fig. 6; Fig. 9, a plan view, partly insection, on 'the line g 71J g of Fig. 12, of a modified form of couplingdesigned more particularly for use on elevated railroads or othershaving curves of comparatively short radius; Fig. 10, a similar view ofthe same, partly in section, on the line 7c 7a of Fig. 4; Fig. 11, asimilar View of the same, partly in section, on the line g t g of Fig.12; Fig. 12, a side view in elevation of the same; Fig. 13, a view inelevation of the cock-casing, partly in section, on the line m m of Fig.14; Fig. 14, a partial vertical transverse section on the line Z Z ofFig. 13; Fig. 15, a horizontal section, on an enlarged scale, on theline 7a 7.: of Fig. 4, certain members being omitted to promoteclearness of illustration; and Fig. 16, a vertical central section, on asimilar scale, on the line b ZJ of Fig. 2.

In the practice of my invention I provide a coupler-head 1, which iscast in the desired form, so as to involve a minimum amount ofmachine-work, and is pivotally connected with the frame of the car orother railroad-Vehicle on which it. is applied so as to be movable toengage with or disengage from a counterpart coupler-head on another car.The pivotal connection must be such as to provide capability of movementin every direction Without interfering with close contact of theengaging members in lieu of the freedom of movement of one engagingmember on the other, which is allowed in ordinary couplers for thispurpose. The pivotal connection is ordinarily made between thecoupler-head 1 and an immediately-adjoining coupler-shank or draw-bar 2,as in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive; but forapplication on elevated railroads or others having curves ofcomparatively short radius the couplerhead and draw-bar may, as shown inFigs. 9 to 12, inclusive, be rigidly connected and the draw-bar 2 beextended and provided with a draft and buffing apparatus of any suitableknown type, and also provided at its inner end with a pivotal connectionat or near the king-bolt of the truck-as, for example, by an eye 3 forthe reception of the king-bolt, through which the connected coupler-headand draw-bar may be pivoted to the car-frame.

The engagement of the coupler head l with a counterpart head on anothercar is effected by means of vertical coupling `hooks or teeth 4,projecting in line one with the other from the upper and lower portionsof the outer end of the coupler-head and having oppositely inclinedfaces which abut function as the pivoted knuckles of the ordinaryVertical-plane couplers, and, as in the case of said couplers, aremaintained in engagement by locks on the coupler-heads to be presentlydescribed. The inclined faces of the coupling-hooks provide for theclose and correct engagement of the coupler-heads when brought togetherin coupling cars and for the separation of the coupler-heads by lateralmovement thereof when the locks are released for the purpose ofuncoupling the cars, and to accomplish this purpose the angles of theengaging faces and of the outer contact or guiding faces of thecoupler-heads are approximately equal, as clearly shown in Figs. l() and15. In order to insure the engagement of the two coupler-heads when outof lin'e to any substantial extent, as when the cars to be coupled areon a curve of comparatively short radius, vertical guides 18, havinginclined faces, are formed upon the coupler-heads opposite to the hooksor teeth 4, each guide being adapted to make contact with a bearing-face3G on the counterpart head and through such contact to move the couplerheads laterally into engagement. Vhen two coupler-heads are lockedtogether, no substantial movement is permitted between their abuttingsurfaces, and suchlateral movement as is requisite for coupling anduncoupling and for passing curves is provided for by a pivotalconnection of the coupler-head with the draft-gear and carframe. In theinstance exemplified in Figs. l to 8, inclusive, this pivotal connectionis of the ball-and-socket type and permits both vertical and lateralmovement of the coupler-head. A ball or substantially sphericalprojection 5 is cast upon the inner end of the coupler-head 1 and litsin a corresponding recess in the outer end of the coupler-shank or drawbar A connecting pin 6 passes through eyes in the draw-bar and through acentral passage in the ball and holds the coupler-head and draw-barsecurely together. The pin 6 may be inwardly tapered or reduced indiameter from its middle portion toits ends, as shown in Fig. 4, so asto thereby permit vertical movement of the ball and coupler-head uponit, or may correspondingly have a ball or swell formed on its centralportion fitting a corresponding recess in the ball 5, and the lateralmovement of the ball and couplerhead is limited to a determined normaldegree by stops '7 on the outer end of the drawbar, which abut againstcorresponding faces on the coupler-head. In order to admit of the useol' a link-coupling in cases of emergency, a hook S may, as shown, beformed upon the upper end of the connecting-pin 6.

For the purpose of preventing unduly free IOO IIO

movement of the ball-and-socket joint it is subjected toadeterminedconstant frictional resistance by means of a follower 9, whichfits in a recess in the outer end of the draw#` bar and abuts by acurved face on theball 5,

against which' it is pressed by a helical spring 10,abutting againsta-bearing-plate 11, whichv fits against shoulders in the recess of thedraw-bar." It will be seen that thefrictional resistanceto lateralmovement which is thus provided tends to prevent oscillation of the carsand that, as a-matter of fact, the device as a whole provides what iscommonly known as a close coupling-that is, a coupling' without playv orlost motion-and therefore when draft apparatus of great resistance,suchas the frictional draft apparatus, is employed it is the substantialequivalent of the ordinary coupling with a friction-spring buffingapparatus suchV asis used on passenger-cars and the object of which isto prevent the oscillation of the cars.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the draw-bar Y 2 is pivot-ally connectedat its inner end to a z5- in any other suitable and preferred manner.

The draft-strap is shown as carrying a housing or casing 15, which formspart of a friction-'draft gear of the type set forth in Letters Patentof the United States No.629,943, granted and issued to me under date ofAugust 1, 1899. Draft and bufng strains are imparted to .suitable frontand rear draw-bar stops, fixed to the car-frame by the front end of thehousing 15 and by a follower 16 at the rear end thereof, thecoupler-head being thus con? nected to the car-frame through theintermediation of a yielding resistance mechanism, asin present practicewith draft and bufng apparatus. The specific construction of draft andbufflng apparatus employed does not,

however, form part of my present invention and any other suitable andypreferred form .may be substituted-in the discretion-of those skilledin the art.`

In'the construction shown in Figs. 9 to 12, inclusive, which is moreparticularly designed for service in connection with draw-gear of thetype employed on elevated railroads on which there are curves ofcomparatively short radius, the coupler-head1 and draw-bar'2 arevrigidly connected by bolts'17, and the draw` bar isextended-sufficiently to reach the kingbolt of the adjacent truck of thecar, to which it is pivotally connected through an eye 3 adjacent to itsinner end, which 'Iits around the king-bolt.

necessary movements of the coupler-head areeffected aboutthe axis of theking-bolt and' t, 7, 'and 12.)

It will be understood that the' also that a draft and bufting apparatusis interposed between the coupler-head and the king-bolt connection inanysuitable and preferred manner, as is known in the practice Aof thistype of draw-bar. Each coupler-head is held inengagementwithacounterpart coupler 'head on another car-when coupledthereto by an automatic locking device which serves to prevent'theseparation ofthe two couplerheads and to force and clamp their abuttingsurfaces tightly together. The locking device which hasbeen selectedforA illustration and which is well suited for the purpose consists` ofa vlocking-arm 19, which is tted with the capacity'of play orindependentrelative movement upon a vertical locking-shaft 20,y which isjournaled in bearings on one side ofthe coupler-head, a spring -bolt 21,having a spherical head, ttingin arecessinone side of Vthe locking-arm,and a spring 22, abuttingagainst-a shoulder on the spring-bolt andagainst'an adjustable cap 23, which isconnected to the outer endof. asocket24,which incloses the spring-bolt and spring.

againsta bearing-face 25 on the counterpart The facel of the locking-arm19,which is adapted to abut1 coupler-head, is eccentric to theaxis ofthe locking-shaft 20, and'the spring 22 constantly tends to force thelocking-arm to the outer limit of its traverse and to clampitseccentricface against the bearing-faceofthe counterpart coupler head when the twoheads are broughtinto engagement. It will be noted that the effect ofstrain upon the'draW-bar tends to IOO hold the locking-arm-inits lockingposition.` l

A segmental bevel-pinion 26, fixed upon the lower end ofthe-locking-'shaft 20, engages'a corresponding pinion 27 on anoperating-shaft' 28, journaled in the lower portion of the coupler-head,said shaft carrying an arm or pair of parallel arms`29, which armsareconnected to it with the capacity of a limited degree'ofindependentrelative movement for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.(See Figs. To this end segmental recesses 30 are formed in the arms29,and the end walls of said recesses areadaptedto be actedl upon by ashort arm or projection 31, fixed to the shaft 28 and fitting freely inthe recesses 30. lThe arms-29 are coupledby a link 32`to an arm 33 ona'transverse unlocking-shaft 34, journaled in bearings 35 on theadjacentend ot the car-frame and. having operating crank arms or handles 37,which are accessible from the sides ofthe car on its ends. n inventionalso `provides means'located in the I'IO rzo

coupler-head for automatically coupling one or more lines offluid-pressure vpipes,as thev train-pipes-of the automatic air-brakeapparatus, the train-signal--liner pipes, andrthe steam-heating pipes,and for closingcommunitration throughA saidt pipes preparatoryv to puncoupling cars and opening communication through them when cars arecoupled. To this end a lateral recess or open space 38 is formed in eachcoupler-head, said recesses extending from the body of ymetal onwhichthe coupling-hooks 4 are formed to the outer side of thecoupler-head, and a shell or casing 39 is inserted in said recess andsecured to the coupler-head by bolts 40,the casing being thus inclosedwithin and protected from injury by the walls of the recess 3S.Pipe-sections (one or more)as, for example, a section 41 for/ connectionwith the train-pipe 42 of an automatic air-brake apparatus and a section43 for connection with a train-signal-line pipe 44-are secured tonozzles or passages 45 and 46, respectivelyleadinginto the case 39. Thepipe-sections 41 and 43 are connected with the train-pipe and thesignal-line pipe, respectively, by sections of iiexible hose 47 and 48and ordinary union-couplings, so as to admit of the movements of thecoupler-heads without involving breakage or leakage of joints. Astop-cock 49, which is shown as of the plug type, is fitted truly in asuitable bore or bushing in the casing 39 and controls communicationbetween the train-pipe passage 45 and a passage and between thetrain-signal-pipe passage 46 and a passage 51. The passages 50 and 51open at their outer ends on a portion of the face of the coupler-headwhich abuts against a corresponding face cna counterpart coupler-head,and theirjoints with the corresponding passages on the counterpartcoupler-head are made tight by soft-rubber gaskets 52. The stop-cock 49is provided with connections through which it may be operated elsewherethan from a danger-pointthat is, otherwise than by a trainman goingbetween and below the cars. In the instance shown the stop-cock is soconnected with the transverse unlocking-shaft 34 as to be opened andclosed as required in its known relation to the operations of couplingand uncoupling cars by the movements of said shaft which are made by thetrainman for effecting said operations. To this end an arm 53 is securedupon the stop-cock 49 and is coupled to one end of a link 54, having alongitudinal slot 55 adjoining its opposite end. Apin 56, fixed upon thearms 29 of the lock-operating shaft 28, before described, is fitted toslide freely in the slot 55. In order to release the locking-arms 19from their bearing on the faces 25, which is necessary when cars are tobe uncoupled, the handles 37 of the transverse shaft 34 are raised andcarry with them the connected arms 29 of the shaft 28, thereby partiallyrotating said shaft and the lockingshaft 20 and withdrawing thelocking-arms from contact with the coupler-head faces on which they abutwhen the cars are coupled. In this movement the pins 56 raise the links54 and arms 53 and close the cocks 49 and the several members are inproper position to permit the cars to be separated. When the handles 37are lowered, the slots 30 and 35 allow the shafts 2S and 30 to berotated sufficiently far to permit the locking-arms 19 to be returned tonormal position in readiness for coupling without opening the stop-cocks49, and after the cars are coupled said cocks are opened by a furtherdownward movement of the handles 37, in which the pins 56 act on thelower ends of the slots 55 and, through the links 54 and arms 53, turnthe cocks into open position. The lost motion provided between the arms29 and shaft 28 can be equally well provided for by allowing acorresponding amount of lost motion between the lock 19 and the key onthe shaft 20, by which the lock is moved. It will be noted that theconstruction is such that the locks of the couplerheads of both cars arerequired to be disengaged before the cars can be separated, thusproviding a double lock against the separation of the coupling andinsuring that the stop-cocks of both cars shall be closed before suchseparation takes place, and consequently preventing the escape of anyiiuid from the pipes. The locks may be set in the unlocking positionwhen cars are to be shunted, and when the locks are in the normalposition injury to any of the parts when cars are run together withgreat force is guarded against by the play or lost motion allowed to thelocking-arms 19 on their shafts 20, which permits them to movesufficiently far for the coupling-hooks to engage without moving theoperating mechanism, which is thus relieved from liability to breakage.The lock and stop-cock may be operated otherwise than through thetransverse shaft 34, if preferred,

and in Fig. 12 the shaft 28 is shown as pro.

vided with an arm 57, from which a connection may be made to a handle orlever 1ocated at any desired point for operation.

Figs. 11 to 14, inclusive, illustrate means which are provided foreffecting the automatic coupling and uncoupling of conductors throughwhich electric currents are transmitted from car to car for thetransmission of electricity for light, power, brake, and signalingpurposes. Electric conductors 58 (one or more, seven being shown in thedrawings) are led through a suitable flexible casing 59 to a connectionwith stems 60,which are embedded in a block of hard rubber or othersuitable insulating material 6l, secured in the casing 39. The stems 60are connected by springs 62 with terminals 63, which are fixed in ablock of insulating material, as soft rubber 64, secured in thecoupler-head 1. The terminals 63 project slightly beyond a portion ofthe face of the coupler-head which abuts against a corresponding face ona counterpart coupler-head, andwhen the two coupler-heads are broughtinto engagement in coupling cars they are maintained in close contactwith the corresponding terminals of the counterpart coupler-head by theoutward pressure of the springs 62 and by fluid-pressure from thebrake-pipe, which is led between the blocks 61 and 64 through a passage65, extending from the cock 49 to the back of the block 64.

While the coupler-head has been herein set forth as pivotally connectedwith the carframe, such means of providing for its neces- IOO IIO

sary movement relatively thereto being that which is ordinarily mostdesirably adapted tomeet the requirements of practical service, it willbe apparent that other means of flexibly connecting the coupler-head andcarframe-as, for example, by connections having a sufficient. degree ofelasticity to permit the required lateral movement-maya if desired, besubstituted for the specific form of flexible connection described and.shown Without departure from the spirit of my invention, and I do not,therefore, limit myself to the employment of a pivot pin or bolt as aconnecting member.

It Will be seen that my invention provides Aa car-coupling having evenbetter facilities of automatic connection and separation than those ofthe present standard vertical-plane type and Which further contains inits own structure means for fulfilling all practical requirements in theautomatic connection and separation of fluid-pressure pipes and electricconductors and the opening and closure in proper relationto theoperations of coupling and uncoupling cars of the cocks which controlthe fluidpressure pipes. All'the above operations are performed withoutnecessitating the presence of employees between cars, and the consequentdanger of serious and fatal injury to employees experiencedwith priorconstructions is not only fully eliminated, but an important advantagein the saving of time in coupling and uncoupling cars, pipes, andelectric. conductors' is also attained.

I claim'as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentyl. In anautomatic car-coupling, the combination of a coupler-head, flexiblyconnected with a car-frame, and adapted, by movement about a pivot, tobe automatically engaged* with a counterpart on another. Vehicle, and#means for permitting vertical movement of". the coupler-head, a lock,automatically operable in and by the engagement of the coupler-i headWith a counterpart', for retaining vsaid coupler-head in substantiallyrigid engagement with its counterpart.

2. In an automatic car-coupling, the com# bination of a coupler-headfiexibly connected With a car-frame, and having a fixed verticalcoupling member adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from acorresponding member on a counterpart head, by` lateral movement, `meansfor permitting vertical vmovement ofthe coupler-head, and alock,automatically operable in and by theengagement of the coupler-head .witha counterpart, for retaining said coupling'member in engagement withthat'of a counterpart coupler-head.

3. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination'ot' a coupler-headexibly connected with a car-frame, a vertical coupling member fixedthereon, and having an engaging faceV inclined to the line of draft andadaptedto be brought into contact With the corresponding engaging faceof a vertical coupling member fixed on a counterpart head, by lateralmovement, means for permitting vertical lmovement of the coupler-head,and Va lock for retaining said coupling member in engagement With thatof the counterpart head.

4. In an automatic car-coupler, the combination of a coupler-headflexibly connected with acar-frame, a vertical coupling member fixedthereon, and having faces which are oppositely inclined to the line ofdraft and adapted to be broughtinto contact With correspondingoppositely -inclined `faces of a' Vertical coupling member fixed on acounterpart head, by lateral movement, means for permitting Verticalmovement of the coupler-head; and a lock for retaining said couplingmember in engagement with that of the counterpart head.

5. In an automatic car-coupler, the combination of a coupler-headflexibly connected with a car-frame, a vertical coupling member fixedthereon and adapted to be engaged With and disengaged from acorresponding member on a counterpart head, means for permitting bothvertical andA lateral movement ofthe coupler-head, a guide opposite saidcoupling member, for moving a counterpart head' into engagement, and alock, automatically operable in and by theengagementof the couplingmember With that of a counterpart head, for retaining said couplingmember in engagement with that of said counterpart couplerhead.

6. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination of a coupler-headhaving afixed vertical coupling member adapted to be engaged with anddisengaged from a corresponding member on a counterpart head, by lateralmovement, means for permitting vertical IOO movement of thecoupler-head, and a lock fitn ted on the coupler-head in position toabut against a bearing-surface on a counterpart head Vand automaticallyoperable in and by the engagement of the coupling member with that of acounterpart head, to hold the coupling members in `close contact whenthe two heads are coupled.

7. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination of' a coupler-headhavinga fixed vertical coupling member adapted to be engaged with and`disengaged from a corresponding member on a counterpart head, bylateral movement, and a lock pivotedl on the coup-l ler-head and havinga face, eccentric to its pivot, which is adapted to abut against abearing-surfaceron a counterpart head when the two heads are coupled.

S. In an automatic car-coupling,- the com-i,

bination of a coupler-head fiexibly connected with a car-frame, andadapted, by lateral movement, to be automatically engaged with `acounterpart on another vehicle, means for packed end. adapted to make afluid-tight irzo joint with that of a fluid-conduit on a counterparthead when the two heads are coupled.

9. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination of a coupler-headfiexibly connected with a car-frame, and adapted, by lateral movement,to be automatically engaged with a counterpart on another vehicle, meansfor permitting vertical movement of the couplerhead, a lock forretaining said coupler-head in engagement with its counterpart, and anelectric conductor in the head, having a terminal adapted to makecontact with the terminal ot an electric conductor in a counterpart headwhen the two heads are coupled.

10. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination of a coupler-headfiexibly connected with a car-frame, and adapted, by lateral movement,to be automatically engaged with a counterpart on another vehicle, meansfor permitting vertical movement of the couplerhead, a lock forretaining said coupler-head iu engagement with its counterpart, afluidconduit in the head havingaproperly-packed end adapted to make aduid-tight joint with that of a Huid-conduit on a counterpart head whenthe two heads are coupled, and a cock fitted in the coupler-head andcontrolling the Huid-conduit.

l1. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination of a coupler-headflexibly connected with a car-frame, and adapted, by lateral movement,to be automatically engaged with a counterpart on another vehicle, alock for retaining said coupler-head in engagement with its counterpart,a fluid-conduit in thel head having a properly-packed end adapted tomake a fluid-tight joint with that of a fluidconduit on a counterparthead when the two heads are coupled, a cock fitted in the coupler-headand controlling the fluid-conduit, and means for releasing the lock andoperating the cock 'which are operable ata distance from thecoupler-head sufficient to obviate necessity of going between andbeloftr cars.

12. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination of' a coupler-headflexibly connected with a car-frame, and adapted, by lateral movement,to be automatically engaged with a counterpart on another vehicle, alock for retaining said coupler-head iu engagement with its counterpart,a Huid-conduit in the head having a properly-packed end adapted to makea fluid-tight joint with that of a fluid-conduit on a counterpart headwhen the two heads are coupled, a cock fitted in the coupler-head andcontrolling the iuid-conduit, and means, operable from the side of' acar, for releasing the lock and operating the cock.

13. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination of a coupler-headflexibly connected with acar-frame and adapted,by lateral movement, tobe automatically engaged with a counterpart on another vehicle, `meansfor permitting vertical movement of the couplerhead, a lock forretaining said coupler-head in engagement with its counterpart, aplurality of Huid-conduits in the head, each having a properlyfpackedend adapted to make a fiuidtight joint with that of a fluid-conduit on acounterpart head when the two heads are coupled, and a cock fitted inthe coupler-head and controlling the several Huid-conduits.

145. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination of a coupler-headflexibly connected with a car-frame, and adapted, by lateral movement,to be automatically engaged with a counterpart on another vehicle, alock for retaining said coupler-head in engagement with its counterpart,a fluid-conduit in the head having a properly-packed end adapted to makea Huid-tight joint with that of a fluidconduit on a counterpart headwhen the two heads are coupled, a cock fitted in the coupler-head andcontrolling the fluid-conduit, an unlocking-shaft journaled transverselyon a car-frame and operable from the side of the car, and intermediateconnections for releasing the lock and operating the cock by movement ofthe unlocking-shaft.

l5. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination of a coupler-headflexibly connected with a car-frame, and adapted, by lateral movement,to be automatically engaged with a counterpart on another vehicle, alock for retaining said coupler-head in engagement with its counterpart,a Huid-conduit in the head having a properly-packed end adapted to makea Huid-tight joint with that of a fluidconduit on a counterpart headwhen the two heads are coupled, a cock fitted in the coupler-head andcontrolling the fluid-conduit, an electric conductor in the head, havinga terminal adapted to make contact With the terminal of an electricconductor in a counterpart head when the two heads are coupled, #ndmeans for releasing the lock and operating the cock which are operableat a distance from the coupler-head sufficient to obviate necessity ofgoing between and below cars. 16. In an automatic car-coupling, thecombination of a coupler-head flexibly connected with a car-frame, andhaving a vertical coupling member, adapted to be engaged with and`liisengaged from a corresponding member on a counterpart head, bylateral movement, a lock fitted iu the coupler-head and adapted tomaintain its coupling member in engagement with that of a counterparthead, a fiuidconduit section having a packed end on a face of the headwhich is adapted to abut against, and make a fluid-tightjoint with, theend of a fluid-conduit on acounterpart head, a shell or casing fixed tothe coupler-head, within a recess by the Walls of which it is`protected,a second duid-conduit section,open

ing into said casing and fiexibly connected to a pipe-line on the car, acock fitting in the casing and controlling communication between thefluid-conduit sections, and means for releasing the lock and operatingthe cock.'

17. In an automatic car-coupling, the comblnation of a coupler-headfiexibly connected with a car-frame, and having a fixed vertical IOO izo

coupling member, adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from acorresponding' member on a counterpart head, by lateral movement, meansfor permitting vertical movement of the coupler-head, a lock fitted inthe coupler-head and adapted to maintain its coupling member inengagement with that ot a counterpart head, an electric conductor in thehead, having a terminal adapted to make contact with the terminal of anelectric conductor in a counterpart head when the two heads are coupled,and Iiexibly connected to an electric conductor on the car, and meansfor releasing the lock for uncoupling the heads and electric conductors.

18. In `an automatic car-coupling, the coinbination of a coupler-headflexibly connected With a car-frame, and adapted, by lateral movement,to be automatically engaged with a counterpart on another vehicle, alock for retaining said coupler-head in engagement with itscounterpart,a duid-conduit in the head having a properly-packed end adapted to makea duid-tight joint with that ot a fluidconduit on a counterpart headwhen the tvvo heads are coupled, a cock ,fitted in the coupler-head andcontrolling the fluid-conduit, an operating-shaft journaledjin the head,con nections through which movement is imparted from said shaft to thelock, and vice versa, and connections from the operating-shaft to thecock, provided with means for permitting a determined degree of traverseof the operating-shaft and lock Without imparting movement to the cock.

19. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination of a coupler-headfiexiblyconnected with a car-frame, `and adapted, by lateralA movement,to be automatically engaged yWith a counterpart on another vehicle, alockingarm, fitted With the capacity of ay limited degree of independentmovement` on a shaft journaled in the coupler-head, and adapted toretain said head in engagement Withits counterpart, a fluid-conduit inlthe head having a properly-packed end adapted to make a duid-tight jointwith that of a fluid-conduitl on a counterpart head, a cock fitted inthe coupler-head and controlling the fluid-conduit, anoperating-shaftjournaled in the head,

With its counterpart, a fluid-conduit in thev head having aproperly-packed end adapted' to make a fluid-tight joint With that of aHuidconduit on a counterpart head when the two heads are coupled, a cockttedin the coupler-head and'controlling the fluid-conduit, anoperating-shaft journaled in the head, connections throughwhich movementis imparted from said shaft to the lock and vice versa,

a connecting-arm fitting freely on said shaft and having a segmentalrecess adjoining its hub, an arm fixed to said shaft and adapted to abutagainst the ends of said recess,an arm jxed to the cock, a link coupledto said arm and having a longitudinal slot adjoining its opposite end,and a pin fixed to the connecting-arm and traversing in the'slot of thelink.

2l. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination of a coupler-headhaving a Xed vertical coupling member adapted to be engaged with anddisengaged from a corresponding member .on a counterpart head, bylateral movement, a ball or spherical projection on the inner end of thecoupler-head, having a' vertical central passage, a draw-bar orcoupler-shank having a recess in its outer end which receives the ballof the coupler-head, and a connecting-pin extending through the walls'ofthe socket and the passage of the ball and being reduced in diameterfrom its middle portion, which substantially fits said passage, to eachof its ends.

eno. WEsriNGHoUsE. l

Witnesses:

J. SNOWDEN BELL, H. A. CRooKs.

